Motor-vehicle driving mechanism.



W. J. EVANS MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION- FILED OCT. 28. 1914.

Patented 001.12, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Evans;

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTO R N EY COuJMIA-FMNOIJRAPH CO WASHINUTOI'J D. c.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. 1 I w a n w ATTORNEY W. J. EVANS.

MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 28 1914.

COLUMBIA PLIINDGRAPH co., WASHINGTON D WITNESSES "u TED srrns "Para WILLIAM J. Evans, or PILOT MOUND, IOWA.

MOTOR-VEHICLE RIVING MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern: I Be it kn'own'that 1, WILLIAM J. EVANS, a. citizen of the United States, residing; at

Pilot Mound, in the county of Boone'and' State of Iowa, have invente'da new anduse-- ful Motor-Vehicle Driving Iechanism', of which thefollowingis a specification.

This invention relates to motorvehicle driving mechanism, and is designed to provide an equalizer structure whereby steerderedefi'ective in conjunction with ordinary rear wheel drives, so that aqmotor vehicle of ordinary commercial type may be readily changed to provide for'the driving ofth'e vehicle by eitherthe rear .wheels or the steering wheels, or both. I

Any suitable steering wheel driving mechanism :may be employed, as, for instance, such an arrangement as shown In Letters- Patent No. 1,045,77 8, granted to me on November 26, 1912, but such driving mechanism is to be taken simply asan example-of,

any suitable steering wheel driving mechanism.

of automobiles for the purposes of the pres-.

ent inventiom-there'is provided. an equalizer: structure designed to equalize the draft 0111 all four wheels of the motor vehicle. For. this purpose the equalizer is in the nature of a one-way pawl and ratchet clutch with a coupling designed to be under the control of the operator forconnecting the equalizer to the steering wheel drive,so that the engine of the vehicle may be-utilized not only to drive the vehicle by the rear wheels, but by the front or steering wheels,'and any overrunning of the front wheels-is readily taken care of by the equalizer. Under some 'CH'CHlTlSlZflIlCBS it may be desirable to lltlllZQj therear wheels only for propelling the vehicle, in which case the equalizer .is discon- In accordancewith the present invention 7 I the equalizen-isso constructed that in the case of overrunning the travel of the pawls from'toothto tooth of the ratchet is not productive of obtrusive noises, while atthe same time the e gaging portions. ofthe pawl.

ing wheel driving mechanism'may be ren- In order to adapt theusual power units Specification of Letters Patent. v 1 Patented Oct. 12, 191 5. Application filed octobsrjas, 1914. Serial memos I and ratchet connection are of ample areato I transmit all the power needed. 7

The invention will be, best understood from a consideration of thefollowingde feo tailed description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawlngs forming a part practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to any strict conformity-with the showingof the drawings, but'may be changedand modified" so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention." 1 I y In the drawings 2 Figure l is a plan view of so much of an automobile chassis as is necessary for an understanding of the present invention, which'latter is shown applied.

Fig. 21is a longitudinal section of the equaliz'er with'the counter-shaft upon whichv it is mounted shown. in elevation. Fig. 3 is an end view of the equalizer as seen from the sprocket wheel side with the. counter-shaft Y shown in cross-section. Fig. 4 is a section on the line l l of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the movable member of the.c0u- 1 pling. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the equalizer'pawls. I I

Referring to thedrawings, there is shown a frame 1 which maybetaken as indicative of'the chassis frame of an OFClll'ltIYfilltOIllO- bile and mountedon this framearerear ent, or any other suitable mechanism for a like purpose, "so that the steering wheels may be utilized bothas steering wheels and drive tion-no showing thereof is attempted, for

wheels 2 and front or steering wheels .3, the latter being provided with a driving shaft. 4 and connectedto this shaft by. mechanism .such as shown in the aforesaid :Letters-Patthe showing of the Letters-Patent referred tois considered-as. suflicient for an under-2 standingof the present invention. 1

In Fig. 1 there is shown an engine 5 with itsdrive shaft 6 leading through directionchanging mechanism which may be. consid ered as housed within a casing 7 and there driving a counter-shaft 8 in turn carrying 'a-sprocket wheel 9 coupled to the shaft 8 by a clutch 9, or otherwise, and connected by a chain 10 to another sprocket wheel 11 dr inghe rear axle 12, which in turn' assruned to drive a. counter-shaft prov vided with suitable ournal supports in'the frame 1.

I No attempt has been made to show the usual transmission and differential mechan sms, and it is assumed that the main shaft 6 is provided with transmission mechanism ofthe usual type simply indicated by a'casing 16 thereon.

Mounted on the counter-shaft 15 is a hub 17 provided near one end with a radial,

flange 18 having an axially extended oflset 19 with a circumferential groove 20 designed to receive a brake band 21 which 1n the particular showing of the drawings is provided with a friction shoe 22. The brake band is provided at the ends with ears 23 for the, attachment of suitable connections leading to a convenient point within reach of an operator. As these connections may be such as are usually employed in band brakes on automobiles it is deemed unnecessary to show them. Projecting from that face of the flange 18 remote from the body of the hub 17 is an annular continuation 24 of the hub in. surrounding spaced relation to the shaft 15, and on the outer peripheral portion of the continuation 24 there is formed an annular series of ratchet teeth 25 each,

provided at one end with a substantially radial shoulder 26. These teeth instead of sloping gradually from the apex toward the shoulder of the next tooth are rounded on the outer face, as shown at 27, and

shoulder 26 of the'preceding tooth. Each one of the ratchet teeth therefore is notched or depressed where joining'the next preceding tooth, the purpose being to provide a deep seat fora pawl but in the event of the teeth riding idly under a pawl the fall of the latter toward its seat is interrupted by engagement with the outer surface or periphery ofthe next tooth in order, so that the movement of the pawl is much less than is usual and any noise which might be caused by the idly running teeth on the pawl is so much reduced as to be unobtrusive.

Mounted on the shaft 15 adjacent to the hub 17 is another hub 29 having an axial continuation 30 telescoping into the space between the'continuation 24 and the shaft 15. The hub 29 is formed with a radial flange 31 entering the space within the offset 'or overhang 19 of the flange 18. Mounted at diametrically opposite points on the flange 31 are pins or studs 32 projecting toward the flange 18 and each stud 32 tends through one end of a pawl 33 and constitutes a pivot support for the latter. Adjacent to each pin 32 the flange 31 is provided with an oifstanding block 34 with one edge 35 concentric with the pin 32 and snugly. yet freely receiving the corresponding end of the-pawl 33 which is also usually made concentric with its pivotal axis so that the block 34 constitutes an abutment for the pawl relieving the pin. 32 from excessive strains. Each pawl 33 has the free end formed with an offset 36 adapted to enter the recesses 28 at the rear ends of the teeth 25, while the extremity of the pawl is formed with a face 37 at a suitable angle to abut against the shoulders 26. That side of the offset toward the pivoted end of the pawl is beveled, asindicated at 38, and the corresponding-wall of each recess 28 where projecting into the peripheral portion 27 of each ratchet tooth is correspondingly beveled, the angle of the bevel being such that the pawl nose readily rides out of the recesses 28 when the ratchet made up of the teeth 25 moves in the idle direction. Each pawl is urged toward the ratchet teeth by a spring 39, one end of which is carried by a stud 40 projecting from the flange 31, and the other end of which bears against the pawl 33. In order to hold the spring against the pawl a stop stud 41 is provided for each spring on the flange 31. i

. Fast to the shaft 15 is a collar 42 against which the'corresponding end ofv the hub 17 engages, while that end of the hub 29 remote from the collar 42 is counter-bored, as indicated at 43, for the reception of another collar 44 held to the shaft 15 by a transverse pin 45. By this meansboth hubs and the parts carriedthereby are free to move together or independently upon the shaft 15,

or the'l'atter may rotate without imparting motion to either the hubs 17 or 29 or the parts carried thereby, these hubs and the structures which'they'carry constituting an equalizer as will-hereinafter appear.

"The end of the hub 29 adjacent to the collar 44 is formed with a circular series of axially projecting teeth 46 separated by spaces 47. Mounted on the shaft '15 is a collar 48 held to the shaft bya'key 49 seated in a groove in a shaft and a corresponding groove 50in the collar, so that ,the collar maybe moved lengthwise of the shaft, but

' is constrained to always rotate therewith. The collar is formed with-a circular series of axially projecting teeth 51 adapted to enter the recesses 47 between the teeth 46, While themovement of the collar 48 lengthwise of the shaft is sufficient to cause the engagement of the teeth or the removal of the collar sufficiently away from the hub 29' to disengage therefrom. The collar 48 is provided with a circumferentialperipheral groove 52 entered by diametrically opposlte pins 53 on ayoke 54 at one end of a manipulating member 55 which may be considered as provided with suitable connections with.- in reach of an operator, wherebythe collar 48 may-be moved lengthwise of the shaft 15'.

- for engagement with and [disengagement from the teeth of the hub 29. The hub 17 is formed on the side of the flange 18 toward the collar 42 with a circumferential series of sprocket teeth 56 receiving a sprocket chaln 57- engaging a sprocket wheel 58 onthe shaft .4.

Let it be assumed that the englne 5 1s running, and it may be further assumed thatv the shaft 15 is rotating at a-speed which may correspond to that of the engineshaft,

or in the case of the interposition of transmission gearing the shaft may be considered as running at some other speed." In the ordinary propulsion of the vehiclepower may be transmitted to the driving wheels 2 only,

7 but if it be desiredto impart-driving motionto the steering wheels 3, then the clutch shoulders 26 of corresponding ratchet teeth,

the ratchet is caused to rotate with the hub 29 and asthe ratchet is a part of the hub 17 the latter also rotates in the same direction. Motion. is transmitted from the hub 17 by way of the sprocket teeth 56, and

sprocket chain 57 to the sprocketfwheel 58, and from the latter to the shaft 4, thus imparting driving motion to the steering wheels 3. Considering the speeds of the wheels 2 and 3 to be in proper agreement, the vehicle is driven by'all four wheels siimultaneously, so that each wheel has a ma terially less driving load than is the-case where the'rear wheels only are employed for driving purposes. This is productive of economy in wear and tear, and especially economy in'tlres. There are conditions un-- der which it may be advisable to use the front wheels only for tractive purposes, as, for instance, when the rearwheels rest-upon soft or slippery ground, in which case the front wheels may be upon firmer ground,

and hence be'able to pull the vehicle out of the stalled position. Again, it maybe ad visable to employ a greater braking force than would be provided by the usual brake acting upon the rear wheels." In this case the collar 48 is moved to the inactive positio-nand then the brake band 21 1s tightened,

whereupon there is'resistance offered to the,

turning of the steering wheels 3 commensurate with thebraking force applied to the 'ofiset 19, which thereupon serves as a brak-.

ingdrumw v v 'In assembling the device the key 491s first applied and then the collar 48 is placed uponfthe shaft 15' in engagement with the. key 49.. Then the 'loose collar 44 is moved upon thevsh'a-ft and secured. thereto by the loose pin .45, After this the member of the I equalizer represented by the hub 29 with the ,pawls and-springscarried thereby is moved upon the shaft. until: housing the collar 44.

Then theother, member of the equalizer representedby the hub '17 is moved upon the shaft until-engaging the hub 29 with the eX- tension 30 seated in the space or counterbore within the extension 24, and finally the collar142 is applied and secured in theusual manner, as by a setiscrew or otherwise. T

In order topermit the assemblage of the partswithout interference by the pawls 33,

thedatter are heldflagainst the action of-the springs 39, so asnot to abut against the corresponding face of theextension 24 and ratchet teeth 25, by pinstemporarily proiected through holes 59 formed in the flange 31, these pins being afterward withdrawnto permit the pawls 33 to move-into engagement with the ratchet teeth under the action of. the springs 39. The extensions 24 and 30 coact to relieve the extension '24 ofstrains due to driving engagement of the pawls '33 with the ratchetiteeth. V

-What'is claimed is 1. An automobile provided'with front and rear wheels, power means for propelling the automobile, driving connections between the power means and the rear wheels, and driving connections between the power meansof the front wheels comprising two rotatable members," one provided with a one-way ratchet wheel, and the other with engaging pawls therefor, driving connections-between the ratchet wheel member and-the front wheels, and a tion to the power unit of the automobile.

2. In a front wheel driving mechanism for automobiles also provided with a rear wheel drive, an equalizer therefor co-mp-rismg two rotatable members one provided lltll a one-way ratchet wheel and the other counter shaft carrvin'g the two rotatable members and arranged for connec with engaging pawls therefor, the ratchet,

wheel member of the equalizer being also provided with means for the transmission ofpower to the front wheels, and a countershaft carryingthe equalizerand arranged for connection to the power .unit of the automobile, the member of the equalizer provided with the ratchet wheel v being also pro: 'vided with a brakemember. I

shaft, one of the rotatable members having means for driving connection to the front wheels, and said members having respective pawl and ratchet engaging means, and clutch on the counter-shaft for coupling one of the members of the equalizer thereto.

at. In a front wheel drive for automobiles also provided with a rear wheel drive, an

equalizer for the front wheel drive eomprising a counter-shaft connected to the power unit of the automobile, two rotatable mem bers both loosely mounted on the countershaft, one of the rotatable members having means for driving connection to thefront wheels, and said members having respective pawl and ratchet engaging means-and a clutch on the counter-shaft for coupling one of the members of the equalizer thereto, that member of the equalizer having means for connection to the front wheel drive being mg the teeth, eachtooth terminating at one also provided with braking means.

5. In a front wheeldrive for automobiles also provided with area-r wheel drive, an equalizer for the front wheel drive comprising a shaft, a hub mounted loosely thereon and'formed with a radial flange and with a ratchet wheel extending therefrom in overhanging spacedrelation to the shaft, an-

other hub telescoping into the ratchet wheel portion of the first-named hub and provided with a radial flange in spaced relation to the first-named flange, saldsecond-named flange having pawls' thereon in operative relation to the ratchet wheel and said second-named hub being provided with clutch teeth on the end remote from the flange, and slidable clutch collar keyed to the shaft in operative provided with a-radial flange in spaced relation vto the first-named fian e, said second named flange having pawls thereon in op' erative relation to the ratchet wheel and said second-named hub being provided with clutch teeth on the end remote from the flange, and a slidable clutch collar xeyed to the shaft in operative relation to the teeth of the second-named hub, the first named hub being also provided with means for the transmission of power therefrom, and the first named flange being provided with a peripherally located axially extended overhang housing the second-named flange and formed at its exterior into a brake drum.

7. In a front wheel drive for automobiles also provided with a rear wheel drive, an equalizer comprising two rotatable members, one with a'circular series of one-way ratchet teeth and the other with pawls for engaging the'teeth, each ratchet tooth being provided with a pawl engaging shoulder at one end and a recess at the other extended toward the axis of rotation with the peripheralportion of the tooth continuedto and stopping at the recess, and the pawl being provided with a nose adapted to abut the shoulder ofa tooth and to enter the adjacent recess at the rearend of the next tooth in order. r

8. In a front wheel drive for automobiles also provided with a rear wheel drive, an equalizer comprising two rotatable memhere one having a circular series of ratchet teeth and the other having pawls for engagend in a substantially radial shoulder with the other end formed with a recess adjacent to the shoulder of thehext tooth in order and said recess being extendedtoward the axis of rotation and the "Qfi iphery of the teeth slanting toward and stopping at the recess, and each pawl having a nose portion with a projection toward the axis of rotation of a length to enter the recess 9. In a front wheel drive for automobiles also provided witha rear wheel drive, an equalizer composed of two coacting rotatable members one formed with a circular 1 series ofratchet teeth and the other carry ing pivoted pawls and at the pivotal end of each pawl provided with an abutment biles also provided with a rear wheel drive,

an equalizer composed of two members, one of which is provided with a'ratchet and the other with pawl means engaging the ratchet: the teeth of the ratchet each terminating at one end in a substantially radi'al'engaging shoulder, and at the other end in recess extendedtoward'the axis of rotation with the remainder of the periphery of each tooth further from the axis of rotation than a direct line from the apex of the tooth to the bottom of the recess, andthe pawl having a nose shaped inconformity with the recess.

11. In a front wheel drive for automobiles also provided with a rear wheel drive, an equalizer composed of two members, one

tion than a direct line'fro m the apex of the tooth to the bottom of the recess, and the pawl having a nose shaped in conformity with the recess, the wall of the recess of the tooth remote from the adjacent shoulder of the next tooth in order and the corre-' sponding portion of the extension of the nose of the pawl being similarly beveled to facilitate the escape of the pawl from the recess. 7

12. In a front wheel drive for automobiles also provided with a rear wheel drive,

an equalizer comprising a shaft, a set 001- lar thereon, a hub engaging'the collar and provided with sprocket teeth with a radial flange terminating at the outer portion in an overhanging axially extended portion constituting a brake drum, and providedwith a circular series of ratchet teeth in annular spaced relation to the "shaft, another hub provided with an annular axial extension v both, and a countershaft betweenthe drive telescoping intothe space between the shaft and the ratchet teeth and'also provided with a radial flangeadapted to house in the brake drum, said hub havingclutch teeth at the end remote from the axial extension, pawls v carried by the flange of the second-named hub with abutment members at their pivoted ends to take thestr'ain from the pivots of the pawls, springs carriedflby the flange of the second-named hub for'urging the pawls toward-the ratchet, said flange being'provided with stop members for the springs for holding them in engagement with the pawls, anda clutch member mounted on the shaft and provided with clutch teeth, said clutch member being movable lengthwise of the shaft to carry the teeth into and out of engagement with the clutch teeth on the second-named hub, each clutch. tooth adjacent to theengaging shoulder of the next "tooth Copies of this patent may be obtained for fiveceiits each, by addressing the Commissioner in order being provided with a recess extended toward the axis of rotation, and each pawl having a tooth engaging nose thickened toward the axis of rotation in conformity with the recesses off the ratchet teeth. i

13. rh automobil'e provided with front and rear wheels, an engine, a drive shaft connected therewith, a countershaft interposed betweenthedrive shaft and the rear wheels and having driving connections with both, and a counter-shaft between'the drive "shaft and the front wheels and havingdriving connections withboth, the driving connections between the front wheels and the counter-shaft for drivingv them including a 'one-iway'structure imparting forward drive only to the front wheels, and the driving connections between the drive shaft and the frontand rear wheels including means for connecting or dlsconnecting the front wheels or therrear wheels, or both, from the'drive shaft. I 14. An automobile provided with front and rear-wheels, an engine, a drive shaft.v

posedbetween the drive shaftfand the rear fconnected therewith, a counter-shaft inter in l wheels and having driving connections with shaft and the front wheels and having driv ing connections with both,-thedriving con- V connecting or disconnecting the front wheels; or the rear wheels,or both, from the drive" "shaft, the front and rear wheels being also provided with independent braking means; 7 In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed'my signa- V ture in the presence of two witnesses. o l "WILLIAM J. EVANS.

H Witnesses I I. F. MARSH,

HANNAH NELsoN.

of Patents, I 

